How I Deal With My Shakes - Geraldine McGeever, Donegal

"I recommend anyone with Parkinson’s disease to talk about it."

The year was 1997; I was working in the hospital in Letterkenny as a catering Assistant.  I began to notice a tremor in my pinkie finger on one of my hands, which I thought would just go away, so I thought nothing of it. But it didn’t go away, it got worse. It began to affect my life in little ways like when I was handing out cups of tea to the patients, the cups were shaking and tea fell all over the place.

At this point I decided to go and see what was wrong.  I was admitted to Letterkenny General Hospital for tests and then referred to see a neurologist. He diagnosed Parkinson ’s disease as a possibility in December and in May of 1998 it was confirmed.  I thought this only happened to old people. I didn’t take it all in immediately. My husband Paddy and I didn’t talk about it for a long time after coming home. I became very depressed. I retreated to my bedroom and wouldn’t get up and I was like this for a few months. I became very conscious of myself shaking and people kept asking me if I was cold. . . . . . What do you say??? It just took me time to let it sink in but gradually I came to terms with it. I realised things could be worse. After all, he could have told me I was terminally ill with six months to live. I felt I had to turn the negative into a positive. I wasn’t going to die from this and hopefully will live a long life into my old age.

The disease has progressed more since I was diagnosed. At the moment my tremor has spread all down my body, worse on one side than the other.  My walking has become slower and my balance isn’t good. I use a walking stick to keep me steady. If I was out and about for a long time and get tied I have a wheelchair. 

After having to leave my job in the health service through my ill health, I thought “What am I going to do now?” because I am not a person who just sits at home. I was always used to being out meeting people and couldn’t see myself just sitting at home doing nothing.

Getting Back to Work

I found the avenue that brought me back into the work place again. I began to study computing. I started off in a beginner’s class, then onto the intermediate class. This brought me up to the advanced level, at which point I studied, and was awarded my ECDL and advanced ECDL. I continued studying and got my City & Guilds Diploma and I also studied Sage Computerised Bookkeeping & Accounts. I knew then I had made the right decision and I was very happy with myself.

Back then, in 1998, I found there weren’t many young people around here with Parkinson’s disease that I could talk to. I began then to research everything I about the disease. There was (and still is) a lot of research going on and new medications are appearing all the time.  My neurologist told me we are closing in on a cure. . . . . . . . . hooray !

People with Parkinson’s disease rely first on medication, starting at the bottom of the ladder with the weakest drug and working up according to how the disease progresses.  Not every Parkinson’s patient is on the same medication. There are a wide range of drugs and it is a matter of finding the right cocktail to suit each patient. I was on several different tablets in the beginning which didn’t agree with me so I just talked to my neurologist until we came up with what suited me then.

Obviously my drugs have changed since then. My husband Paddy has been great, he does the shopping for me because that’s one job I hate now. It has to do with me being very aware of people behind me in a queue when I am taking change out of my purse, (sometimes you can hear the comments, like “What is she doing there holding everyone up ?” ), I hate that. 

I have two boys, Shane (25) and Dean (21). They have grown up knowing their mum with Parkinson’s.  But I remember them asking me shortly after I was diagnosed “Does that mean you won’t be able to play football with us anymore mum?”  . . . . I cried.

My oldest son Shane goes to Australia next Saturday to get work, I am going to miss him and my youngest son Dean is my carer. He is a great help to me. He does all the heavy work at home and gets me everything I need. He looks after me really well. I find that stress makes my symptoms worse. Recently after a death in the family I was very bad, everything seems to be ten times worse and it took me a while to get back on my feet. I get tired easily but I have many more good times than bad. I get on with as many household chores as I can but after doing some I need to take a rest.

Socialising

I have also tried never to give up too much on my social life. Most people around here in Letterkenny now know what is wrong with me so most people don’t make any remarks but just enjoy the crack. But if it’s someone that doesn’t know me and they come over and ask me “Are you ok?” or “Is there anything wrong”, I try to make them at ease and just say “I am fine thanks I have Parkinson’s disease, just call me Shaky Spice” and we have a laugh. I try to make a joke of it in order not to make people feel awkward about the situation. So I find this puts them at ease and we have a laugh.

People with Parkinson’s don’t look for sympathy, but we need people to be patient with us and help us now and again. I found that advice and contacts I made through PALS and the Parkinson’s Association of Ireland, of great help from the beginning and down through the years up to the present day.  There is always someone there at the end of the phone line no matter what we need to talk about. It is a life line for us patients.

I recommend anyone with Parkinson’s disease to talk about it. It’s not good to let things build up inside, you will only become withdrawn and depressed; believe me I know having been there! Get it out of your system, lift the phone & talk. Think positive, live life the best you can and we will shake through this together.

God Bless xoxox

Geraldine Mc Geever, Donegal                        

Shaky Spice

Follow Us